Twenty-nine students received their High School Equivalency diplomas this week through the Youth Success Academy at Georgia Northwestern Technical College.

Seventeen students graduated during a commencement ceremony at GNTC’s Floyd County Campus in Rome on Tuesday, June 9. Twelve more students graduated from the Walker County Campus YSA program during a ceremony held Thursday, June 11, at Peavine Baptist Church in Rock Spring.

The Youth Success Academy is designed for out-of-school youth who want to earn a high school equivalency diploma while also preparing for technical education and future careers. Students in the program prepare for the HSE exam and take part in job readiness training, workshops and leadership activities.

During the Floyd County Campus ceremony, Dr. Angela Shuman-Smith encouraged graduates to see the moment as the start of a new chapter.

“This diploma is not the end of your story; it is the beginning of a new chapter,” Shuman-Smith said. “You get to write what comes next, and what comes next can be anything.”

At the Walker County ceremony, Hope Gold urged graduates to move forward with courage, kindness and resilience, reminding them that success is meaningful, but character leaves a lasting legacy.

Graduates represented communities across northwest Georgia, including Rome, Silver Creek, Lindale, LaFayette, Chickamauga, Dalton and Rising Fawn.

YSA is sponsored through a partnership between GNTC and the Northwest Georgia Regional Development Center. The program assists adults up to age 24 with HSE diploma testing, college enrollment, college expenses and gaining experience in different career fields.

For more information, contact the Floyd County Campus YSA at 706-295-6940 or the Walker County Campus YSA at 706-764-3783.